


The moon's watching over you

by heismysoulmate



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Feelings, Hope, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Late at Night, M/M, PHWeek2020, Stargazing, Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heismysoulmate/pseuds/heismysoulmate
Summary: Pandora Hearts Week, day 2: Starry sky
Relationships: Gilbert Nightray/Oz Vessalius
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	The moon's watching over you

Gilbert looked up. Stars, as always, where shining on the dark sky.

He started looking at them when he was still a young boy. When he couldn’t fall asleep, not used to the new house. Or because his head was full of images, of his young master being thrown into the Abyss.

When such a hard night occurred, and if Vince was for once sleeping in his own bed, instead of sneaking into Gilbert’s (which happened very often, during his first few days in the Nightray’s mansion), young Gil would quietly get up, and sit next to the big window.

Stars were shining just like Oz’s eyes.

When he first noticed that, it hurt. He curled up, and wanted to cry, because he missed the other boy so much. He was so angry and sad that he couldn’t protect him, it was killing him.

But then, as the time passed, he found it rather reassuring.

Because stars were unchangeable. They were still shining as the time went by, and… Maybe they weren’t a reminder of what he lost? Maybe they were rather reminding him why he shouldn’t give up? Because at the very end, there still was hope for his young master. So he had to fight, so those eyes, shining like stars, could come back to him.

It was a calming thought. The one that was sometimes keeping him sane.

Especially during later years.

When he was feeling sick to his stomach, looking at the dead bodies of people he killed. With his own hands, which were tainted red with their blood. And then he spent hours vomiting all he could. But then, he was seeing a starry sky, reminding him for whom he did it. And that it was worth it.

Sometimes there were nights when he couldn’t sleep, but it was too cloudy for him to see the stars. Those were the worst. 

But he still had other things to distract himself with. Like reading The Holy Knight, which he borrowed from Elliot. It were new books, not the ones that Oz read to him. Gilbert was reading them with hope, that when they meet again, he can tell young Vessalius about every new adventure that happened to his favourite characters. 

And later, when he finished books, he just started smoking.

Looking at stars as long as he did, he probably knew all the constellations by heart by now. He didn’t know their names, never had time or motivation to look it up. But he knew how stars were painted on the night sky, and what patterns they were making.

They were his safe space. When there was too many thoughts roaring in his head, and when he couldn’t stay calm, hands starting to shake in the middle of the night, they were there for him. 

Those bright dots, fighting against the darkness of the night.

They reminded him of Oz in that aspect too.

Gilbert knew it was stupid, but they were like friends to him. He could tell them about Oz, how amazing boy was, and he had a feeling like some of them will shine brighter at his words. Trying to tell him “Then I’m sure someone that great will come back soon”. Or maybe it was just an illusion, because it was late, and he was tired, and his eyes were tired as well.

But they also would listen to him crying silently on those rare nights when he gave up, and let himself think that maybe all this was for nothing, and his master will never come back. And Gilbert is all alone. And he always will be.

Watching the starry sky became something like a ritual for him. When he couldn’t fall asleep, he didn’t even know when his legs were carrying him to the window. But he didn’t mind. He really liked doing it.

Even when Oz came back, Gilbert was already so used to looking at the stars, that when his anxieties about their future were keeping him up, he still ended up next to a window, looking at the shining dots.

And after all those years, today was probably the first time when he was looking at stars with someone.

“They’re really pretty.”

_ Not as pretty as you. _ Gilbert thought, but kept it to himself.

He wasn’t sure how exactly it happened that he was lying under the stars with Oz.

Gilbert almost never did it, but he just decided that today sky is so clear, and it’s still warm, so he wanted to look at the stars outside, from the garden. Oz just happened to catch him, when his servant was leaving, and asked if he could go with him. And honestly, Gil was never able to tell him “no”.

And so, now they both were lying on the grass, and looking at the starry sky.

“They are also good at keeping secrets.”

“Oh?”

Surprised sound escaped Oz’s mouth, and only then Gilbert realised what he said.

Why he said that? Was he… expecting something? 

No, it couldn’t be it. He already got Oz back, and boy agreed to forgive Gilbert for betraying his family. It was more than he could imagine. More than he deserved. So why-

His train of thoughts was stopped by a small, warm hand on his cheek.

Nightray turned just to see that Oz was lying on his side, instead of his back to watch the stars, and he was looking at Gilbert with an intensity he never saw from him.

“So they’ll stay quiet about it?” He asked quietly, and before Gilbert could understand what he meant, their lips touched.

The kiss was slow and tender, full of affection. Gilbert didn’t even know when he gave in, and started kissing boy back, feeling as if the whole world stopped around them.

He always thought of stars in his eyes, but kissing him was like kissing the sun. Warm, and just so good. And when they finally parted, his lungs were burning.

When Gilbert was finally able to speak again, he breathed only one word.

“Oz.”

Vessalius put a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

“It’s a secret between us and the stars, okay?”

“Okay,” Gilbert answered, breathlessly.

“Okay,” Oz confirmed, and smiled softly at him.

Nightray didn’t know what was controlling him, when he leaned closer to quickly kiss boy once again. But it didn't look as if he had something against, because he kissed back eagerly, getting even closer to the other. Maybe it wasn’t such a quick kiss after all.

Oz ended up lying with his head on Gil’s shoulder, while man’s arm was wrapped around his torso, when they looked at the sky again.

Gilbert probably never felt this warm and happy in his life, and maybe that’s why he decided to speak.

“I was always wondering about that star,” he said, raising his hand, that wasn’t wrapped around the other boy, to point at one point at the sky. “I believe it’s the brightest, and it’s almost like a little sun, but I don’t even know its name.”

Oz hummed, before he nuzzled closer into Gil’s side.

“It’s  Sirius,” he said after a moment. “Also known as the ‘Dog Star’ or, more officially, Alpha Canis Majoris, for its position in the constellation Canis Major.”

Gilbert got more comfortable and pressed his cheek to blonde hair.

They stayed like that for a while, looking at the sky, when Oz was telling Gilbert everything about the stars that the other always wanted to know.

And they both hoped they’ll get to spend many more nights like that.


End file.
